news from kenya
BULIMBO
I would like to request Gospel News. Since I have no access to it, I have been having a hard time borrowing one before I can study the local information in them. I also request a copy of the Kiswahili Bible Basics, a Bible Companion for next year and the Good Company copies.
Bro Laban Sirengo Kisaka
A picture taken of Bro Laban Kisaka a year ago at school, with stuffed lion capturing its prey
BUNGOMA
We are grateful for your recent letter which introduces and connects us with the international non-governmental and non-profit making organization “Swedish Co-operative Centre” (SCC) that offers support to self-help development initiatives to co-operatives, farmers’ organizations and informal groups. It has its regional headquarters in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. We also received three books, namely:
- Principles of Planning Vegetable Production
We have contacted them through the internet and we are still corresponding. Since the work started is not ours but the Lord’s, we are still pushing the gospel forward though sometimes through hardships. We believe that the Lord has prepared our pay and that He will pay everyone accordingly at his appearing. Many friends are being changed to our faith and even leaders are joining us. It is our joy that the number of workers in our Lord’s vineyard is increasing. Due to this, we shall not be tired of requesting more Bible materials, eg Key to Understanding the Bible, Introducing Bible Basics and others; also, Where There Is No Doctor, and Where Women Have No Doctor, if available please.
Bro Nimrod and Sis Caren Masika
The wicked shall be turned into sheol. The wicked are those “who know not God, and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ”. Of these there are three classes:
1. Sinners that have never heard of the one true God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel; others who are incapable of faith and obedience
2. Those who have come to an understanding of the gospel but have rejected it.
3. Those who have obeyed it, but do not hold fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast to the end, nor walk according to its precepts but walk after the flesh.
The first die and perish as the beasts.
The second also die, but comes forth from the grave to encounter the indignation of Christ.
The third experience judgment day, to come forth and be judged, then undergo condemnation with “sorer punishment”. However, those who try to serve the Lord, howbeit with many failings, will, by grace enter into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord.
Bro Francis Mayen
You have done wonders in giving me Gospel News. I have learnt more about people’s lives, learning through our Lord Jesus Christ. I also study Introducing Bible Basics, and try to answer questions. It gives exactly the divine way to the Kingdom of God.
Bro Emmanuel Kumbu
PHOTO : Bro Emmanuel (with the watch), with friends Phostine and Daniel.
I’m very pleased to receive your letter and Bible Basics for Moslems. I will share these with my brothers and sisters who are in fellowship, also with the friends and the surrounding ecclesias.
I am very happy at receiving Gospel News; it lets me know that some of our brothers and sisters are also doing the will of God. It is heart warming to let us know what brothers and sisters in other countries are also doing, and moving on, with the word of God like me.
You are a good link for us with the brothers and sisters who are all going towards the Kingdom of God. I am very happy to know the difference between Christians and Moslems through Bible Basics for Moslems.
Bro Aggrey K Muyila
Photo: Bro Aggrey K Muyila
God knows and searches our hearts.
Psalm 139:23,24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts.”
Isaiah 43:18,19: “Remember not the former things nor consider the former things of old.”
Exodus 23:20,21: “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. Give heed to him and hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” And the Name is God so don’t rebel against Him.
Exodus24:9-11: “Then Moses and Aaron, Nabad and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank”.
Acts 17:30,31: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead”.
Bro George Maina Wabwile
CHWELE
Elderly people should be helped during this weak and tiring time to enjoy their lives. They need love, care and support. In so doing, young people should show appreciation for the good work they did when they themselves were still little children, and also please God. There are important steps to follow to make older men and women happy in their lives:
1. Preserve their dignity – “Do not sharply rebuke an older man but be appealing to him as a father … (to) an older woman as a mother” (1 Timothy 5:1,2).
2. Listen to them carefully – “Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath” (James 1:19).
3. Show empathy - “All of you be like-minded, showing fellow feelings, having brotherly affection, tenderly compassionate, humble in mind, not paying injury for injury or reviling for reviling” (1 Peter 3:8,9).
4. Discern when encouragement is needed - “As apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time for it” (Proverbs 25:11).
5. Involve them in your work - “Follow the course of hospitality” (Romans 12:13).
6. Offer practical assistance - “Whoever has the world’s means for supporting life and beholding
his brother having need and yet shuts the door of his tender compassion upon him, in what way does the love of God remain in him? Little children, let us love, neither in word or tongue, but in deeds and truth” (1 John 3:17,18).
7. Be long-suffering: - “Clothe yourself with the tender affection of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, and long suffering” (Colossians 3:12).
8. By caring for and loving the elderly, we show respect for God’s own standards because His word states: - “You must show consideration for the person of an old man or old woman” (Leviticus 19:32).
Bro Manasseh Wamamili and Sis Doricus Manasseh
Greetings to you in the shared hope of Israel. I write to congratulate you for the good work you are doing by preaching the word of God to reach every corner of the world by supplying Gospel News magazine and Bible Basics. Truly this is the work that Jesus commissioned his disciples to do to go into the whole world and preach the word to every creature so that whoever believes will be saved but whoever does not will be condemned. However, I used to get Gospel News but stopped receiving it at the start of this year. How I wish, brother, that you supply me with it as it encourages and strengthens me.
Bro Patrick Sawa
Photo on Left - from left: Bro George Maina, Bro Remmy Wekesa Nyongesa during his baptism at Kabuchai, and Bro Anzetus Khoremba.
Photo on Right - from left: Bro George Maina, Sis Bridgit Nabwile Wanyama during her baptism at Kabuchia, and Bro Anazetus.
Photo: Bro Patrick and his wife Sis Joina Sawa
I was baptised in the year 2000 by elder brothers in western Kenya. I have been enjoying lessons from you and others around the world. I would like to thank you for sending brothers and sisters in our ecclesia books such as “Where There Is No Doctor” and “Bible Basics” which have been of very great importance to us in spiritual growth. Having basic knowledge from the book “Where There Is No Doctor” has been of very, very great importance to me.
I was allergic to penicillin, but the knowledge contained in “Where There Is No Doctor” has kept me alive up to the time I am writing this letter. I pray that God will bless you abundantly so that you may again help us in getting a first aid kit so that we can continue saving other people’s lives.
Bro Daniel Wakhabu
Photo: Bro Daniel Wakhabu
GISAMBAI
I am happy to hear that you are sending us some Bible Basics and one book asked for Where There Is No Doctor. The other book I forgot to include in my letter is How To Grow A Balanced Diet. This will assist us in our planting and the type of plants for our diet. I have passed all this information to the ecclesia and they are happy and look forward to receiving them. As I have written to you, my ecclesia is young and growing so we need your support by sending us books and any other literature for preaching. Please send us some Bible Companions. We have only two copies and right now we are ten members, eight brothers and two sisters.
Bro Ernest Lavuna
KINANGOP
I am proud of being a Christadelphian. I have come to discover many biblical writings which have not been expounded by many who call themselves ‘Christians’. Indeed to be an ordinary ‘Christian’, not much is expected, apart from faith in God through His only son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 11:6). Having been a Catholic from birth, I have discovered a lot that had been hidden from me and this has brought me to a state of almost hating the Catholic faith. My emphasis here is for true Christians to adhere to the true doctrines of the Bible of humility, stressing much on peace and arming themselves with the shield of faith.
Though sure of our faith, we have a great task of preaching to the present world of hypocrisy, corruption and freedom of worship. Many people don’t like to prepare before going into the field of ‘evangelism’ which entails difficulties and faith in the Lord Jesus. Thanks for the Christadelphians who, though not famous worldwide have the faith which is based on biblical truth.
Let us all look forward fro the coming of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ who is coming this time as a King and every eye shall see. Israel shall look with remorse on the one they ignored, betrayed and killed.
Bro Peter Njuguna
KITALE
Here in Kitale I’m quite okay in the Lord, enjoying the precious grace of God which has kept me in the faith. I have been helped to see and read about how many are continuing in the faith. Also, I have understood and been encouraged by the topics that are published. I request Bible Basic in Kiswahili because I have some friends who are studying with me and they cannot understand English. Some people have stopped appreciating God for His faithfulness and who He is in their lives. For me not to lose focus in my Christian walk, I have decided to fix my eyes on the Lord and please Him alone. This reminds me of Jesus, who died that we might be saved, that whosoever believes in him should not perish. Alas, a lot of people are dying in sin, they are not recognising God as their Maker and the source of everything existing on this earth. Expect ingratitude. My advise is to realize that some people will not appreciate you. Do things for the joy of doing them, and give for the joy of giving; help the needy for the sake of helping them. Ingratitude is a universal sin, therefore we must do our best to avoid it. People will always talk and complain but our attitude should be a positive one. Praise should be the habit pattern of our life, regardless of the cold, even cruel, treatment received from some whom we have helped.
Sis Lydia Nekesa Fuchaka
Photo: Sis Lydia Fuchaka and her two daughters Eliza and Vicky.
LUUYA
I’m happy to send this letter to you and inform you that I am proud of your assistance to my fellow brothers in Luuya ecclesia. You have assisted us with books like Bible Basics, which makes me more excited in my belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. I am a Sister with the name Brigid N Kasili, baptised on 22-12-2005 at Kabuchai during the Bible School. I beg you to kindly assist me with Bible Basics study so that I can make more effort in the word of God. Actually your books are very good guidance in the word of God. Here is my photograph during the time of baptism. I am 14 years old
Sis Brigid Kasili
MAKHONE
Marriage as an institution should be revered by husbands and wives. And this honour must be indicated through being faithful to each other. It follows that anyone who deviates from this moral conduct will be punished savagely by God during judgment, because God does not condone immorality and vice, like adultery (Hebrews 13:4). So, brethren, let us refrain from lust which can tarnish this holy institution. And as we detest lust, we should put on an armour which is the word of God.
Husband and wife should live in harmony (Ecclesiastes 9:9. As you enjoy life, that enjoyment has to encompass the love of our wife. In this context, Ecclesiastes points out that our joy will be meaningless if it excludes our wife.
A wife is precious (Proverbs 18:22)’ To find a wife is something good and it shows that God is good to us. We should be grateful to Him for helping us to achieve this. We are cautioned by God that we should not dare to make any divorce (Malachi 2:14,15).
We should try to abide by this directive given to us by God. be faithful to your wives. Not being faithful to our wife is denying her our love (Proverbs 5:15-18). Therefore we should stick to our wives and give them sufficient care with all our focus on them. That way we consolidate our families, thereby creates harmony. It is absolutely dangerous to sleep with another man’s wife (Proverbs 6:29). Doing so is like carrying fire against your chest and you are certain of burning yourself (Proverbs 6:27); also, it is like walking on hot charcoal with bare feet: it is inevitable that those who attempt it will get burnt.
Bro Emmanuel Sikuku Sichangi
I am very happy with your concern about my baptism and other details. It reminds me of way back in 1995 when one day seven of us from Makhonge Ecclesia gathered ay at Chwele River Ecclesia for interviews. We were interviewed by Bros: Joshya Kisuya (former Western Area Representative), Tom Kituyi, John Mulongo (Chwele River Ecclesia) and Richard Simiyu (Nalondo Ecclesia). Only one candidate failed, but six passed and were baptised by Bros Tom Kituyi and Joshya Kisuya in the River Chwele. It was such a fine Sunday morning. I will never forget it because of the great multitude of brethren and sisters from seven ecclesias gathered around to witness.
I must say that it was a long journey from my infancy in Sunday School to join a congregation of baptised brothers and sisters, not only in ecclesias in Kenya but world wide.
I find the Bible literature about legalism very interesting in my Bible study and would welcome comments on world events. May I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for the great work you are doing in God’s vineyard. May you be blessed in your efforts in supplying the Gospel News worldwide. Indeed the time we are living in is full of many evil things here and there, but we pray God to keep us on the right path towards His kingdom which is imminent.
Thank you very much for the book ‘Where Women Have No Doctor’ and the encouraging information about the on-going events in the Middle East. We are certainly living in the last days, full of evil things happening all over the world. Recently the media were full of the news about the Da Vinci Code with fictions ridiculing the life of Jesus Christ and the wonderful ministry in the Bible. It claims that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had many children who he intended to lead the church. While millions of copies are being circulated everywhere convincing many people, it means that true Christians/believers must be alert, reading our Bibles seriously and prayerfully to resist this influence against the Gospel. May the Lord come even now! (Should any require material refuting the DaVince Code, please write to Gospel news for it. MH)
I am preparing my piece of land to plant beans and groundnuts for the next season. I depend wholly upon farming for my livelihood. In addition, I am receiving 5-8 men and women every day at my home. A few are brothers and sisters while the majority are villagers within the community, seeking some pieces of advice on their health problems. I appreciate the up-dated help in the book you sent, which adds to the little I learnt on a course some few years ago.
The community prefers me to the nurses in the Health Centre in many ways: nurses can be very harsh, full of don’t-care attitudes towards the patients/clients. Last month the Public Health Officer (PHO) came to my house incognito to see for himself the good service I am delivering to people, after he had heard that my work is excellent. He then recommended me to start getting some drugs at low cost to serve the community and my ecclesia from October this year – but on condition that I should build a house with good accommodation and proper storage of the drugs. It is a habit for people in this area to burn bushes while preparing their fields for planting crops in February and March, which means that my house could be burnt down as its roof is grass-thatched, or it could leak during heavy rains. I am unable to meet the expense in this time frame.
Bro Manasseh and Sis Doricus Wamamili
Photo: Bro Manasseh and Sis Doricus Wamamili (The photo is of Sister Doricus and myself taken in February, 2000 during our new life in marriage)
MAKHONGE
It is our firm faith that you are still forging ahead with the preparation of Gospel News magazine that reflects the views of brothers and sisters worldwide. Your support in supplying important books has been really profitable in terms of life-saving and even reducing medical cost. We have managed to help many brothers, sisters and other people in our village. Some have been coming to read from medical colleges, others have read to find the medicines to use. For example, a friend of ours who had ear problems managed to get the correct drugs which has helped him very much. He can now hear properly. We also helped our Bro Daniel who had been injected with procaine penicillin which resulted in allergic shock. As soon as we were informed, we rushed him to the nearest Health Centre about 30 km away using our bicycle at 8 pm, where we informed the nurse to give him an adrenaline injection as instructed by the book ‘Where There Is No Doctor’.
Even though the villagers are deep-rooted in their cultural beliefs, they are finding the book very helpful in solving their health problems. Therefore, brother, your help has been very important to us, and to many other people around. You have shown how kind and loving you are to brothers, sisters and friends. Concerning the
English language, we wonder if it is possible, and if God wills it, that you help us with some books of English grammar so that we can help brothers and sisters who cannot read and write the English language very well.
God bless us all while we await the Lord’s return.
Bro David and Sis Jacklyne Wanjala
MBITA (SUBA)
I thank God for the work He has done for His people especially our brothers and sisters in the UK for getting food during the famine in Kenya. We are happy to congratulate them on their good work and for volunteering to help us. I know that when people are sure in God, God will be sure with them. We were made even more sure when the brothers and sisters from UK visited us in Kenya.
When they came to the meeting in Nairobi, they promised us they would visit our ecclesia in Nelisi and I was very proud of them. And they taught us many things. We now have three new members: Paul Ndige, Soffy Achieng Otho and Apollo Mgundu. Bro Jared Owuor Oketch
NAKURU
I’m writing to let you know that I really recognise the way you handle and consider me, even though I am an African. We share the one faith, and in particular I appreciate the books: God’s Visible Hands, Understanding the Bible, the book about Muslims – and Gospel News, of course. I have just collected from the Post Office the leaflets of the book, ‘What is the Gospel?’ in Luhya; now Luo, Kiswahili and Kikuyu will follow, God willing. Thanks a lot. (I was charged before collecting the parcel from the Post Office.)
If you gather or come across any information on how one can emigrate to a green pasture in another country, please pass it on to me.
Say “Tambo” (hallo) to your family members and all the members of your ecclesia as we wait for our Lord to come and reign for ever.
Bro Samuel Wanga Watako
Photo: Bro Samuel Wanga Watako
NDHIWA
I am Brother Mike, a sinner saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1994 I realized how selfish desires made me fail with so many sins before the Lord, just as is written in Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5:19-21. After that I found that only confession and repentance and going to God’s throne of grace is the major theme of life. I have not won but am still in the battle each and every day.
I am married with three children with which the Lord has blessed us. I joined the Christadelphian group in September 1996 and had spiritual growth under the supervision of my tutor, Sis Joice M Roe. I did the lessons for nine years because I wanted to be rooted in Christadelphian teachings. I was baptised in Sept 2005. I had before been attending
Okumbo Ecclesia for six years as a friend, but now I am proud to be a member. I contacted you through Bro John D Kine, who encouraged me to write to you. I have read some of your material such as Living With Alcoholism and Gospel News and I would like to receive more from you.
Bro Mike Gerald D Juma
I thank the Almighty God for the love He has shown His people, and give much thanks also for the blessing of CAT and their aim to preach the truth, also to encourage brethren and sisters to grow spiritually in the TRUTH. I want to praise the Lord. Psalm 138:1-3: I will praise you, O Lord with all my heart; before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise. I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stout-hearted.
We women should be wise.
a) Ecc7:26-28.
b) Romans 16:1,2 help others;
c) Luke 10:38-42, don’t be worried, choose Jesus as your saviour;
d) Matthew 26:7-13, Your deeds wll be remembered. To the widows; read 1 Cor 7:39-40; 1 Tim 5:9-12,14-16. James 1:19-27.
I request the book: ‘How To Grow A Balanced Diet’, All I say is through God’s will.
Sis Dorine A Mboya
Comment; Our Bro Leonard Mboya fell asleep in Christ in May.
